Sadhus’ anti-terror rally planned in Ayodhya

Lucknow, May 18 (IANS) Raising their first united voice against terrorist strikes across the country, thousands of saffron-clad `sadhus’ (holy men) are to congregate in Ayodhya Monday for an anti-terrorism rally. The sadhus from Ayodhya and neighbouring towns and cities to voice their concern against terrorist attacks, and chiefly against what they term as “failure of the UPA government” to curb the terror incidents.

The move comes in the wake of a terrorist strike May 13 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, that left over 60 dead and over 200 injured.

“Our objective behind organising this rally is to focus the attention of the people on the UPA government’s apathy towards innocent people of the country who fall victim to acts of terror,” BJP national general secretary and former MP Vinay Katiyar told IANS by telephone from Ayodhya.

Katiyar, who is organisaing the rally and once spearheaded the Ayodhya temple movement as one of the founders of the aggressive Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal, claimed: “Monday’s rally will be attended by nearly 20,000 sadhus, many of whom have already arrived in Ayodhya.”

Pointedly blaming the central government for the rise in terrorism, he said: “It was because of the Congress-led UPA government’s policy of minority appeasement that effective steps could not be taken against terrorist outfits that are thriving with the open patronage of our neighbouring countries.”

He said: “The government’s decision to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was also responsible for giving further rise to terrorism.”